Your Right to Know

WASHINGTON — For the first time since President Obama took office, reducing the federal deficit
has slipped as a priority for most Americans, particularly his fellow Democrats, according to a new
study of public attitudes.

In the first quarter of the government’s current budget year, the deficit was 40 percent lower
than in the same period a year earlier, and many economists think that for at least the current
year, a slightly higher deficit would be better for the economy.

Any call to put deficit reduction on a back burner likely will bring a favorable reaction from
Democrats, judging by new data from the Pew Research Center. Fewer than half of Democrats now see
further deficit-cutting as a top priority, a sharp drop from last year, Pew’s annual survey of
public priorities showed. Deficit reduction now ranks behind improving education, strengthening
Social Security and protecting the environment as a priority for Democrats.

But as with so many other issues, a widening partisan gap divides self-identified Democrats and
Republicans on the deficit issue. Fully 80 percent of Republicans rate further deficit reduction as
a top priority, essentially tying it for first place, along with combating terrorism, on their
priority list.

On both sides of the partisan divide, strengthening the economy remains high on the priority
list and has been the top subject for the public overall since 2008. Improving the outlook for jobs
and combating terrorism are two other priorities that garner broad public agreement.

On most subjects, the views of self-identified independents fall roughly between those of
Republicans and Democrats. But overall, the independents’ list of top priorities more closely
resembles that of Democrats.

As Obama prepares to lay out his own priorities in tonight’s State of the Union address, he
continues to labor with a tepid level of public approval: 43 percent approve of his performance in
office and 49 percent disapprove.

The Pew survey was conducted Jan. 15-19 among a national sample of 1,504 adults. The margin of
error is plus or minus 2.9 percentage points.